Oscar 2021: National Board of Review (NBR)–Licorice Pizza Best Film, Paul Thomas Anderson Best Director

NBR: ‘Licorice Pizza’ Best Film of 2021

Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest feature earned two other awards from the group as ‘King Richard,’ ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ and ‘A Hero’ scored two nods each.

The National Board of Review has named Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza as its best film of 2021.

The feature scored two more wins, including best director for Anderson and breakthrough performance for stars Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman.

Three films won two awards each: King Richard (best actor for Will Smith and supporting actress for Aunjanue Ellis), The Tragedy of Macbeth (best adapted screenplay and cinematography) and A Hero (best original screenplay and best foreign language film).

The organization’s honors are voted on by a group of film enthusiasts, professionals, academics, filmmakers and students.

NBR has a mixed record as an Oscars predictor. Last year its top film was Da 5 Bloods, which ended up only landing one Oscar nomination, and in 2019, NBR selected The Irishman, which scored several Oscar nominations but no wins. Previous NBR best film winners include Green Book (2018), The Post (2017), Manchester by the Sea (2016) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

 

From Left: Simon Rex in Red Rocket; Anya Taylor- Joy in Last Night in Soho; Riley Keough (left) and Taylour Paige in Zola; and Rachel Sennott in Shiva Baby took on the business of sex in 2021.
West Side Story and Nightmare Alley
The honorees will be celebrated at gala event on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, hosted by Willie Geist.
This year’s National Board of Review award winners:

Best Film: LICORICE PIZZA

Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, LICORICE PIZZA

Best Actor: Will Smith, KING RICHARD

Best Actress: Rachel Zegler, WEST SIDE STORY

Best Supporting Actor: Ciarán Hinds, BELFAST

Best Supporting Actress: Aunjanue Ellis, KING RICHARD

Best Original Screenplay: Asghar Farhadi, A HERO

Best Adapted Screenplay: Joel Coen, THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

Breakthrough Performance: Alana Haim & Cooper Hoffman, LICORICE PIZZA

Best Directorial Debut: Michael Sarnoski, PIG

Best Animated Feature: ENCANTO

Best Foreign Language Film: A HERO

Best Documentary: SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED)

Best Ensemble: THE HARDER THEY FALL

Outstanding Cinematography: Bruno Delbonnel, THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

NBR Freedom of Expression Award: FLEE

Top Films (in alphabetical order)

Belfast
Don’t Look Up
Dune
King Richard
The Last Duel
Nightmare Alley
Red Rocket
The Tragedy of Macbeth
West Side Story

Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order)

Benedetta
Lamb
Lingui, The Sacred Bonds
Titane
The Worst Person in the World

Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order)

Ascension
Attica
Flee
The Rescue
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain

Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order)

The Card Counter
C’mon C’mon
CODA
The Green Knight
Holler
Jockey
Old Henry
Pig
Shiva Baby
The Souvenir Part II